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Sales teams and their organizations know that harnessing technology can close deals faster. Everyone wants a team of high performers. However, not everyone understands the importance of tech in improving team performance. Salesforce research shows that high-performing teams use almost triple the amount of sales technology compared to underperformers and are eight times more likely to be tech adopters.

Top performers are quick to embrace mobile technology and are almost five times more likely to possess a very good or outstanding capability in mobile sales. To get teams to outperform competition, mastery of evolving tech is essential. Today’s changing face of technology includes mobile apps, cloud computing, and new software solutions to assist sales in getting the right information to their prospects at the right time.

Where Do You Stand?

Even though sales teams are not always the only decision makers in the final selection of software, they can take it upon themselves to learn more about the resources available. Using those resources to their advantage will improve performance and lead their department to communicate options to other departments. Where there is a will, there is a way. Are you ready to ramp up your performance and inspire your team? Start with the nitty-gritty details:

● Review the resources within your knowledge base. Gather the expertise of your team and find out more about their experiences with available technology. More experienced salespeople may provide suggestions and training options on how to best use technology options to meet specific team objectives and the needs of prospects. Work together to create a bank of useful resources and training to be uploaded on your team’s channel to assist in development, eliminate the possibility of a brain drain, and to speed up onboarding for new hires. Some estimate that it takes a minimum of 10 months for new sales reps to become fully productive members of the team. If they are a new hire or a team leader, it's imperative to shorten that gap and give them the tools that they need from day one.

● Tap into the information available from other departments. Marketing and sales can offer candid advice on performance-enhancing features of software that may be underutilized and ways in which communication can be enhanced with the current technology in place.

● Build time into your schedule to learn about the technology. Whether companies are looking to invest in new software or want to know the potential of various apps, make yourself the unofficial go-to guy or gal on the team. Test-drive apps that can potentially be of use to your team’s goals. Become someone that others turn to when critical decisions need to be made both inside and beyond the department.

Change doesn’t happen overnight; mastery takes time, but an investment in your knowledge base and ease with technology is critical to sales performance and development of expertise within the organization. Look to address the big changes in technology and ask yourself how they apply to you and your team.

● How can cloud computing transform operations? Sales and marketing can improve communications with improved accessibility and management of collateral, presentations and more.

● How can you and your prospects go mobile? What apps and optimized platforms are available that can improve communications between prospects and yourself, while improving the customer experience? Be that person that transforms the customer experience and embraces this general expectation.

● Are you making the most of the chosen software solutions to meet objectives? Becoming familiar with tech before you're ready to buy will make it easier to navigate platforms and access necessary data when it is urgent. Get ready now.

Get Your Geek On

Let’s talk apps and mobile. Where are you on the road and can you use the following developments to your benefit?

● Can work offline and function without a constant internet connection

● Can be customized to your brand, your needs, and those of prospects and customers

● Has centralized control with specified administrators for updates and rollouts

● Can be used across multiple platforms, such as iOS, Android, and Windows devices

When you choose to add a mobile sales app to your arsenal, these features are critical to your success. You are able to work anytime you need to, on any platform, without worrying about brand messaging. Have confidence in the content that you offer prospects and be prepared for any conversation with an easy-to-use app.

How are Top Performers Using Mobile?

Enterprise mobility is used to improve the customer experience and close deals faster. Can you afford not to take advantage of mobile capabilities?

According to Emma Snider from Hubspot, the average salesperson spends less than 50 percent of their time selling. Much of their time is spent gathering information. Tech can help sales make that shift and reallocate their time by offering all content in a well-organized location accessible from any location.

Using the best tools on the market can provide sales with the necessary leg up to get ahead of the competition. Technology solves real problems that sales and marketing face when interacting with prospects. Joe Galvin, Chief Research Officer and EVP at Miller Heiman, shared:

“The issue of consistent and clear communications is one that technology can solve. Having a ‘single version of the truth’ is really important.”

Mobile devices are everywhere. It's time to consider how mobile, the cloud and software solutions can benefit sales while out in the field and closing those deals.

Matt Greener is a marketing, digital and SEO leader. He currently heads marketing at App Data Room, a mobile sales enablement platform. He has spent over 15 years as a B2B marketing executive and consultant to businesses and entrepreneurs.

About EyesOnSales

EyesOnSales is a passionate community of the industry's best sales experts and professionals. Founded in 2003, EyesOnSales is committed to advancing best practices in the sales and online marketing industry. EyesOnSales is an integral part of the Campaigner Email Marketing Thought Leadership Program.